> Hi All,
> 
> I went up to Mutubio Gate, Aberdares over the
> weekend with Richard and Anne Bishop. Our best
> discovery was not a bird, but something that will
> make visiting this part of the Aberdares, much more
> restful in future.
> 
> Two weeks ago Outdoor Africa opened a camp-site, at
> the foot of the last climb up to Mutubio Gate, only
> a ten minute drive away. This is being managed by
> Alnavaz Amlani and his wife Mora. We stopped for
> Java House Coffee and delicious Cinnamon Cake, but
> the menu is varied and also interesting. Good
> English-type old country fair with such rarely
> met-with items as Stinging-nettle Soup.
> 
> It is operated as a camp-site, either self or
> catered. You can either bring your own camping
> equipment or they have theirs for hire.
> 
> This site makes a trip to the moorlands now so much
> more comfortable without the necessity of having to
> drive a long distance before arriving. Olive Ibis is
> now on the doorstep, being in the bamboo just up the
> road. The Sharpe's Longclaw reserve only a short
> distance away.
> 
> Reservations or further details can be made by
> phoning 050-50246 (satellite fixed line) or Mobile
> 0722 715853
> 
> There is also a website..... www.outdoorafrica.org  
> 
> 
> email; alnavaz@oudoorafrica.org
> 
> Back to birds..... Surprisingly no Chiffchaff were
> heard singing, though one was heard calling at
> Mutubio Gate, it seems that in January they sing
> after completing their moult when they are very
> obvious and quite numerous, then are quiet until
> March before they depart. Numerous Jackson's
> Francolins, Hill Chats and Aberdare Cisticolas were
> seen. Nothing of interest in the bird line but we
> did stumble on a Leopard right by the track, and a
> most beautiful Red (Harvey's) Duiker in the Hagenia
> forest. The recent rains had brought out a few
> butterflies and flowers, though only one Gladiolus
> watsonoides. We had a light shower as we left the
> Aberdares, descending to Mweiga. Then we took the
> Solio Road to Naro Moru. Swifts were feeding low
> over the plains, amongst them a few Common and
> excellent views of about six Pallid. This is the
> time of year that they are usually in Nairobi which
> suggests that they are passage migrants from some
> southern wintering grounds, (though the species is
> not on the Kenyan list as yet). Along the fenceline
> there were some forty Isabelline Wheatears, twenty
> Red-tailed Shrikes, and one Whinchat that had
> presumably wintered in the area.  A Whitethroat
> sitting on the fence was behaving quite atypically.
> Numerous Montagu's Harriers with smaller numbers of
> Pallid and Eurasian Marsh, about twenty Lesser and
> two Common Kestrels (and one Greater). At night we
> spotlighted two Dusky Nightjars, interestingly
> sitting a couple of feet above the ground on
> branches, not on the ground. Eight of the large grey
> Golden Jackals, five Steinbok and twenty Cape
> Hares.... It was rather disappointing, for the lack
> of sleep-time lost that night!
> 
> The next morning we left the lodge (good local rate
> 10,000 Ksh for a triple on Dinner Bed and
> Breakfast), to look for "Vepres" Black-lored
> Babblers along the road up to Mt. Kenya NP entrance,
> but only had to go a couple of kilometres before
> finding a group. Of the Afro-tropicals possibly
> displaced during the current drought, there were
> fifteen Grey-headed Silverbills along the Solio
> Road, and ten in the same place as the Babblers. The
> Mweiga/Nyeri area has had substantial rain, the
> shambas are green and healthy producing a lot of
> food, and the cattle are fat and healthy, however on
> reaching Karatina the climate is dry and there is no
> water in the pond... after that it is all
> drought-stricken on the way to Nairobi. Whilst we
> were there Mt. Kenya was under thick black clouds
> and was undeniably receiving a soaking.
> 
> Best birding 
> 
> Brian

I rather go birding...
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Itai Shanni                    
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